Fonseca kindergarteners go missing after walking out of school in middle of day

Friday

Mar 7, 2014 at 9:07 AMMar 7, 2014 at 5:50 PM

Superintendent says investigation into the incident should be completed today.

Michael Gagne Herald News Staff Reporter @HNMikeGagne

FALL RIVER — School officials are looking into an incident at Mary Fonseca Elementary School in which two kindergarten students left the building during the middle of the school day Wednesday.

Fonseca Principal Teri White notified parents of the incident in a letter on Thursday. White wrote that two kindergarten children “decided to leave school” following lunch and had told classmates of the plan, “but none of the children notified an adult.”

White said the children were found safe after a 45-minute search of the school and surrounding neighborhoods.

In her letter, White stated that administrators visited all kindergarten and first-grade classrooms. She also urged parents to help “emphasizing the importance of, one, remaining on campus throughout the school day; and two, reminding your child to tell a trusted adult about anything they think is wrong.

“Our youngest children often do not understand our concern for their safety and the fact that there are ‘bad guys’ outside of our schools. Please help up to make this point by discussing stranger danger and safety with your child.

“I assure you that our staff has been retrained and protocols (have been) put in place to assure the safety of all Fonseca children, while in our care,” White wrote.

Superintendent Meg Mayo-Brown said she was investigating an incident and would have a response today.

Mayor Will Flanagan, who also serves as chairman of the School Committee, said he was “extremely concerned that two kindergarten students would have the ability to exit a school and leave the school grounds. By the grace of God no harm came to these beautiful little girls.”

Flanagan said he expressed that concern to Mayo-Brown.

“She indicated to me that she would undergo a complete investigation, and would report to the School Committee that full investigation.”

Flanagan said he had been contacted by several family members via Facebook. “This shouldn’t have happened in first place,” Flanagan said.

“There’s no more larger responsibility than we have of protecting children. So when parents drop their child off, we’re protectors of their safety. By allowing those two children to leave school grounds, that’s critical breakdown of that trust. ... We need to find out how it happened and ensure it doesn’t happen moving forward.”

Several posts regarding the incident appeared on Facebook on Thursday. The mother of one of the kindergarten students did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.